Axemen top Aigles Bleus 6-4

(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) - Rebounding from a 4-3 overtime loss to the CIS No. 7-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies this past Wednesday, the CIS No. 3-ranked Acadia Axemen defeated the Moncton Aigles Bleus 6-4.

The first of 10 goals scored in the game came from Axeman Chris Owens (St. John's, N.L.) at 3:15 on the man-advantage, as he netted his fourth goal of the season top corner through traffic to give Acadia the early 1-0 lead.

Over a minute later, Moncton forward Allian Saulnier (Cap-Pelé, N.B.) scored his 10th of the season, beating Axemen goaltender Brandon Glover (Victoria, B.C.) over the shoulder.

Acadia's Dylan Anderson broke the deadlock at one, beating Aigles Bleus' Brandon Thibeau (Riverview, N.B.) on the far side giving Acadia a 2-1 lead after one period of play.

Just over eight and a half minutes into the second frame, on a 2-on-1 break, Maxime Pilon (Orleans, Ont.) tied the game at two. Moncton's Jean-Francois Plante (Sherbrooke, Que.) buried a rebound over a sprawling Glover to give Moncton their first lead of the game with 3:58 remaining in the period.

Only one minute into the final period from the high slot, rookie Axemen blueliner Matthew Pufahl (Saskatoon, Sask.), found teammate Mike Cazzola (Guelph, Ont.) wide open at the side of the crease to redirect his pass for Cazzola's 13th goal of the season.

Thirteen seconds later, Brett Thompson (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) opened the flood gates with his fifteenth goal of the season. Thompson scored his second goal of the period just over two minutes after his first, off of a lively rebound from the end boards.

Alex Saulnier (Cap-Pelé, N.B.) pulled a rejected Moncton bench from the depths of giving in when he scored at the 10-minute mark of the third, closing Acadia's lead to 5-4.

Rookie forward Remy Giftopoulos put the game out of reach with less than a minute remaining in the game with the insurance empty net goal.

The Axemen outshot the Aigles Bleus 43-24, as second-year goalie Brandon Glover made 20 saves for the win. Thibeau stopped 37 shots in goal for the Aigles Bleus.

Acadia continues to hold onto second place with a three-point lead over the Saint Mary's Huskies and two points behind the league-leading UNB Varsity Reds.

The Aigles Bleus and Axemen both return to action tomorrow night as Moncton visits the Dalhousie Tigers in Halifax, while the Axemen host the CIS No. 2-ranked UNB Varisty Reds in a marquee match-up in Wolfville.